Improvement in slat-irons for carriage-tops



JOSEPH W. SHEPPARD.

Improvement in Slat Irons for Carrige Tops.

No. 123,942. Patented Feb. 20, I872.

. @A MM 4% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPRQVEMENT IN SLAT-IRONS FOR CARRIAGE-TOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,942, dated February 20, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. SHEPPARD, of Plantsville, in the county of Hartford and in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slat- Irons; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description there of, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device with the covering-plate removed. Fig. 2 is a like view of a modification of the same. Fig. 3 is an edge view of said modification. Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations of the slats employed in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively; and Fig.6 is an edge view of the slat shown in Fig. 4.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

As ordinarily constructed, the ends of the slats are riveted or otherwise permanently connected to or with their supporting-frame, in such a manner as to render impracticable their separation therefrom for the purpose of trimming, in consequence of which it has been necessary that each bow should be covered separately and the covering stitched by hand. In addition to the above-named difficulty,whenever a slat became broken the removal of the broken part and the insertion of a new slat have involved so much time and labor as to frequently render it less expensive to replace the entire slat-iron. To remedy these ditficulties is the object of my invention, which consists in the peculiar construction of the slatiron, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawing, A represents the frame-plate of the device, constructed in the usual fan-shaped form, and provided at its lower edge with a hollow boss, B, that forms the axial bearing upon which said device and the carriage-top turns. The plate A has a thickness above its boss equal to about twice the thickness of the slats C, and is provided within its outer face and near its upper edge with a series of circular depressions, a, which correspond in number and position to the lower ends of the slats that are to be contained, and in depth to the thicknesses of the same, and are each provided at their outer sides with an opening, a, the sides of which extend outward and apart, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower or pivotal end of each slat is provided with a circular boss, 0, that corresponds to and fits within the depression a of the plate A, which boss is connected with said slat by means of a neck, 0, that has a width somewhat less than the width of the opening a, so as that, when in position, said slat may have a certain radial motion upon its boss. As thus constructed and arranged, the slats are secured in position by means of a coveringplate, D, which corresponds in shape to the shape of the plate A above its boss B, and is connected therewith by a hinge and screws, or by any other equivalent means.

In Fig. 2 is shown another construction of my invention, in which circular projections a are formed'upon the frame-plate A in place of the depressions a before described, and corresponding openings '0 formed within the ends of the slats instead of the bosses 0, as in the former case, the whole being secured together in the same manner as before. As, however, the principle involvedthe detachability of the slats-is the same as in the firstdescribed device, and the construction of the axial bearings of said slats only the reverse of that before employed, it is considered that no essential change has been made, but that the last-described improvement is a modification only of my invention.

In constructing this device in either of the forms shown, the plates are formed of cast metal and the slats of ordinary bar-iron, with their ends stamped to shape, by which means the cost of producing the finished article is comparatively small.

The especial advantages possessed by this device are, first, the slats can be detached from their frame and the covering of each bow sewed upon or by a machine and drawn over said bow, by which means a large saving is effected in time and expense over the usual method of covering the bows by hand with the slats attached to their frame 5 second, in case of injury to a bow or to a slat, the parts can be quickly and easily removed for repairs, and, if necessary, a new slat can be readily inserted, as from the manner of their construction perfect uniformity of size and shape is obtained, so that one slat will fit into any frame.

- Having thus fully set forth the nature and In testimony that I claim the foregoing I merits of my invention, what I claim as new have hereunto set my hand this 20th tlay of ls- J a-nuary, 1872.

A slat-iron in which the slats are pivoted JOSEPH W. SHEPPARD. within the frame and made detachable there- Witnesses from, substantially as and for the purpose spec- SIMEON H. NORTON,

ified. JNO. D. QUILL. 

